Dispensing device



April 21, 1954 J. F. BOEHM ETAL 3,129,854

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Aug. 21. 1961 INV ENTORS Jm Mae/2m azylaflaffe;

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,129,854 DB'SPENSING DEVICE .lohn F. Boehm, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Douglas F. Corsette, Los Angeles, Caiif., assignors to The Drackett Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 132,892 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-383) This invention relates to a dispensing device and more particularly to a plug or stopper type means adapted for supporting and centering such a device interchangeably in the outlet openings of containers of varying sizes and types. The invention also includes within its scope the incorporation of its inventive concept simply in connection with a plug or stopper type closure per se.

It is quite common in the prior art to employ an axially apertured cap type closure element for supporting a dispensing pump or other dispensing device on the container whose contents are to be dispensed. Similarly it is known to employ an axially apertured stopper type closure element for the same purpose. In either case, however, it has been customary and in fact generally necessary to dimension either type of closure element to t containers of speciiic sizes and types and this has rendered it quite diilicult to provide a suitable dispensing device of this class which may be interchangeably applied to containers of various types and dimensions, with the result generally that a specific dispensing device and its supporting closure has been restricted to use with the particular goods of a specitic manufacturer or in any event has been restricted to use with a container having a particular size dispensing opening and/or a particular overall diameter as well as some specilic type of retainer bead or thread thereon.

With the foregoing considerations in mind it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a plug type closure element, either alone or in combination with a dispensing device, and which is adapted to frictionally retain and support itself in the dispensing openings of containers despite substantially wide variation in the size of such openings.

It is a further obiect of the invention to provide, in conjunction with a dispensing pump, a pair of separate adaptors or adaptor means carried at relatively axially spaced locations on the pump barrel whereby not only to properly center the pump with respect to the container opening but also to provide an improved axial aligning means between the pump and the container. In such case it is an object of the invention to provide one such adaptor means which is speciiically adapted for use in the mouth of the opening and a further somewhat different type of adaptor which is specifically designed and adapted for reception within the bottle or container in the generally diverging portion of its spout or neck.

While the two generally different types of adaptor are each capable of advantageous employment without the other, their joint employment as above mentioned contributes to the desired result of. obtaining the improved axial centering or aligning, this being by virtue of the particular characteristics of the respective adaptors for coaction with their respective portions of the container.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown only the one preferred form of the uppermost such adaptor, together with the preferred form and also one minor modication of the lower adaptor, though it will be readily appreciated that both types of adaptor are subject to further modications within the scope of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 represents an axial cross sectional View through the upper end portion of a usual catchup bottle having a dispensing pump operatively supported therein PatentetlApr.V 2l, 1964 for dispensing of its contents, the pump in this instance having only the upper adaptor applied thereto in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the pump barrel and adjoining portions of the pump shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the same plane as FIGURE 1 but showing in somewhat more detail than FIGURE 1 the construction of the lower adaptor and also showing in broken lines the normal posi tion of such adaptor prior to its insertion into the container.

FIGURE 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a somewhat modified form of the lower adaptor.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 10 therein designates the upper end portion of a usual catchup bottle having a neck 11 deiining a dispensing opening 12 which opens through the upper end 13 of the bottie neck. Externally the bottle neck is shown as being formed with the usual transfer bead 14 and threads 15 customarily used with the conventional closure cap which, in the present showing, will have been removed and the dispenser of the invention substituted therefor.

The dispenser or dispensing pump shown in the drawings comprises essentially a hollow tubular pump barrel 16 from the lower end of which a suction tube 17 depends to a point which will be closely adjacent the bottorn of container 16 and also is curved or bent in such manner that its lower end 1S will normally project substantially into the corner of the container to remove substantially all of the contents of the container which will gravitate to that corner incident to tilting of the bottle.

Disposed for reciprocation in the pump barrel 16 and projecting externally of the container through the upper end of the barrel is the usual pump plunger 26 which will normally be spring projected upwardly to the position indicated in FIGURE l and which lmay be reciprocated against the spring pressure as by means of finger pressure on the actuating button 21. The pump plunger Ztl and button 21 are both hollow and communicate through the barrel 16 and tube 17 with the interior of the bottle 1l) in such manner that reciprocation of the plunger 2t) causes ythe contents of the container to be delivered to and discharged through the generally radial spout 22 on the button 21. In order that the spout 22 and the bent lower end portion 1S of the pump may be disposed in the same radial plane and thus properly oriented at all times, the plunger is suitably slidably associated with, but secured against relative rotation to, the barrel 16 and tube 17 in any convenient manner. For this purpose in the present drawingsthe plunger is shown as being provided with axially disposed keys 23 which are slidably 'disposed through keyways in a collar 24 having an opening not shown through which the plunger reciprocates and is guided.

Secured to and encircling the pump barrel 16 adjacent its upper end is -a radially outwardly projecting flange 24 adapted to act as a stop in engagement with the upper end 13 of the bottle neck for axially positioning the pump while at the same time functioning as a closure over the mouth of the bottleneck and, in such instance, being particularly useful where the pump barrel 16 is of such smaller diameter than the opening 12 as to leave a substantial annular gap between these parts.

The upper adaptor means carried by the barrel is disposed beneath the Vflange 24 and is shown as comprising a plurality of resiliently flexible fins 25, each extending generally axially Vof the barrel 16 and having a rectilinear inner edge 25 tixedly connected thereto. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the pump barrel 16 and its tins 25 are molded as an integral unitary structure from a suitable resilient plastic material such as polyethylene or a vinyl plastic having suicient plasticizer incorporated therein to impart the necessary resilient llexibility to the tins 25. Alternatively the ns 25 may be separately formed and cemented or bonded to the barrel 16 or may be formed integrally with a sleeve-like structure which is secured about the barrel.

The tins 25 as will be seen in FIGURE 3 extend outwardly from their connection to the barrel 16 and have a generally tangential component or may extend in generally tangential directions but are so proportioned that their radially outer edges are normally disposed on a common surface of revolution, all to the end that their radially outer edges 26 will engage the internal surface of the bottle neck around the opening 12 incident to insertion of the pump barrel into the bottle and will be yieldably deflected inwardly toward the barrel due to the fact that the diameter of the said common surface of revolution at its maximum point will normally be substantially greater than the internal diameter of the open- .ing 12.

In order that relatively adjoining tins 25 will not overlap each other when folded or deflected fully inwardly in substantially ush relation against the barrel, it is desirable that the maximum width of each tin 25 from its inner edge 25 to its outer edge 26 is less than the circumferential distance between the inner edges 25 of immediately adjoining fins, it being understood that the inner edges 25 normally will be parallel to each other and equidistantly angularly spaced around the barrel 16.

Preferably also the several tins 25 are all tapered to decrease in diameter uniformly from their upper to their lower ends as will be apparent from inspection of FIG- URE 2 so that in substance their common surface of revolution will be conically tapered to decrease in diameter in the direction in which the barrel is normally inserted into the bottle mouth or opening. With this arrangement the deection of the tins or ribs 25 and the frictional engagement thereof with the bottle will increase progressively during continued insertion of the pump into the bottle mouth.

It will be seen thus that the upper adaptor above described is particularly designed and adapted to elliciently coact with a wide range of sizes of bottle mouths or openings to efficiently center the pump therein and also by virtue of its substantial degree of axial contact with the inner surface of the bottle it will function to alford a substantial degree of axial alignment between the pump and the bottle.

However, in order to provide an increased degree of axial alignment of the pump and also to provide an improved seal against escape of the bottle contents, it will be desirable in some instances to employ in combination with the upper adaptor a lower adaptor such as shown in FIGURE 4, consisting of an inner sleeve or hub portion 30 which in the present instance is shown as encircling and frictionally or otherwise secured to the reduced lower end portion 19 of the pump barrel. At its lower end edge this sleeve carries an integral upwardly turned cul or inverted frustro conical skirt 31 which normally flares outwardly and upwardly, as indicated in broken lines in FIGURE 4, to such an extent that its larger upper yend has an external periphery 32 of substantially larger diameter than that of the portion of the bottle in which it is received. However, the entire adaptor 30, 31 is formed of a resiliently deformable material which, as shown, is substantially in sheet form such that the periphery 32 and the entire diverging upper end of the skirt 31 may yield substantially inwardly for insertion through the most Arestricted portion of the bottle mouth and will thereafter expand outwardly to substantially the position shown in lfull lines in FIGURE 4 with its periphery 32 in snug sealing engagement with the inner surface of the bottle. Such sealing engagement will resist leakage of the bottle contents therepast and the configuration of the lower retainer is obviously such as will, by its sealing Contact with the container, tend to create a suction therein responsive to any attempt to withdraw it and the pump from the container. It will thereby effectively retain the pump in position while also supplementing to a very substantial degree the action of the upper retainer in axial aligning of the pump within the bottle.

In the embodiment of the lower adaptor shown in FIGURE 5 the construction and arrangement thereof is similar in all respects to that shown in FIGURE 4, with the exception that the skirt 31 is formed with a plurality of slots subdividing it into a plurality of axially inclined radial fingers 34 which are resiliently axially deflectable for engagement of their ends with the inner surface of the bottle. This functions in the same manner as the lower retainer shown in FIGURE 4 except that the provision of the slots 33 makes possible an easy withdrawal of the device from the bottle by virtue of permitting the passage of air through the slots 33 in instances where this is desired.

Although the two diiferent types of adaptor exemplilied by the upper and lower adaptors herein disclosed mutually contribute to produce the desired advantageous result of eifectively axially aligning the pump and also providing a stronger frictional retention of the pump in the bottle than either one would accomplish alone, it will be apparent that each type of adaptor is capable of use independently without the other even though this will involve a sacrifice of their joint supplemental action when in combination.

It will be readily apparent further that in the use of these adaptors, whether alone or in combination and also whether as part of the pump structure or merely as part of a plug type closure, they can be operatively applied to and withdrawn from a bottle merely by axial insertion and withdrawal.

Although in this application there are shown but a limited number of embodiments of the inventive concept, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of other and dilerent embodiments and that its various details may be modified in a number of obvious manners, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description heerin are merely by way of exemplication and not by way of limitation of the invention.

The invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new is:

l. A dispensing device comprising a generally cylindrical and substantially rigid pump barrel adapted for reception in the outlet opening of a container, and including a radially outwardly projecting ange for limiting its movement into and for covering said opening, and radially inwardly yieldable adaptor means carried by said berrel beneath the flange for centering and frictionally retaining said barrel in an outlet opening of substantially larger diameter than said barrel, said adaptor means comprising a plurality of resiliently exible tins, each extending generally axially of the barrel and having a rectilinear inner edge connected thereto, said nos normally extending outwardly from said barrel in generally tangential directions and having outer edges normally disposed on a common surface of revolution, the outer edge of each said fin being displaced circumferentially of the barrel from its said inner edge for inward folding generally about said inner edge toward the barrel when the latter is inserted into an opening of a diameter smaller than the maximum diameter of said surface of revolution.

2. A dispensing device as defined in claim 1 in which the maximum tangential dimension of each said fin is less than the circumferential distance between the inner and outer edges of said n and an immediately adjoining iin.

3. A dispensing device as dened in claim 1 in which said adaptor means further includes a resilient inverted frustro-conical skirt spaced axially from said fins and having a central hub at its smaller diameter end snugly receiving and secured on said pump barrel for resilient engagement of the radially outer periphery of its larger diameter end with the interior of said container, said periphery being continuous to provide a seal with said container.

4. A container closure comprising a generally cylindrical element adapted for reception in the outlet opening of a container, and including a radially outwardly projecting flange for engagement with the end wall of tlie container around said opening, and radially inwardly resiliently yieldable adaptor means carried by said element beneath the ange for centering and frictionally retaining said element in the opening, comprising a plurality of resiliently flexible fins each extending generally axially of the element and having a rectilinear inner edge fxedly connected thereto, said ns normally extending outwardly from said element and being tangentially inclined in similar directions relative thereto With their Outer edges normally disposed on a common surface of revolution whereby to be yieldngly inwardly folded toward the element when the latter is inserted into an opening of a diameter smaller than the maximum diameter of said surface of revolution.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,526,225 Gronemeyer Oct. 17, 1950 2,578,463 Croce Dec. 1l, 1951 2,758,737 Hennings Aug. 14, 1956 

1. A DISPENSING DEVICE COMPRISING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL AND SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID PUMP BARREL ADAPTED FOR RECEPTION IN THE OUTLET OPENING OF A CONTAINER, AND INCLUDING A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING FLANGE FOR LIMITING ITS MOVEMENT INTO AND FOR COVERING SAID OPENING, AND RADIALLY INWARDLY YIELDABLE ADAPTOR MEANS CARRIED BY SAID BERREL BENEATH THE FLANGE FOR CENTERING AND FRICTIONALLY RETAINING SAID BARREL IN AN OUTLET OPENING OF SUBSTANTIALLY LARGER DIAMETER THAN SAID BARREL, SAID ADAPTOR MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF RESILIENTLY FLEXIBLE FINS, EACH EXTENDING GENERALLY AXIALLY OF THE BARREL AND HAVING A RECTILINEAR INNER EDGE CONNECTED THERETO, SAID FINS NORMALLY EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BARREL IN GENERALLY TANGENTIAL DIRECTIONS AND HAVING OUTER EDGES NORMALLY DISPOSED ON A COMMON SURFACE OF REVOLUTION, THE OUTER EDGE OF EACH SAID FIN BEING DISPLACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY OF THE BARREL FROM ITS SAID INNER EDGE FOR INWARD FOLDING GENERALLY ABOUT SAID INNER EDGE TOWARD THE BARREL WHEN THE LATTER IS INSERTED INTO AN OPENING OF A DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE MAXIMUM DIAMETER OF SAID SURFACE OF REVOLUTION. 